Platelet rise and fall

[Sarahjane100]

Can anybody tell me if platelet levels can drop suddenly without medication? Mine were 591 and now 452? I am triple negative and thought I had ET, have only been on aspirin, but now am about to see heamotoligist again. Will they recommend a BMB? I just want to know what's wrong with me! I have been taking Magnesium capsules for tiredness. Would they have had an effect?

[Timjonze]

Hi Sarah Jane. If you’ve not got a known mutation and your platelets have fallen back to within normal range (almost) then it’s certainly possible that the platelets were raised for some other reason. They do deviate between tests but 140 is quite a big dip so definitely worth further investigation.

[fee13]

Platelets fluctuate (even throughout the day) quite remarkably for a variety of reasons. As timjonze suggested you may have had an infection when you first had your blood test. How long have you had raised platelets?

Stress, infections, dehydration all affect results. Some viruses will lower platelets and some raise. They may well offer a BMB and if you're happy with this then go for it, at least you'll find out what's going on.

[Sarahjane100 in reply to fee13]

Hello, thank you for responding. My GP was alerted to my rising platelet level, starting in 2011. I went to my GP after fainting a few times and feeling unwell. After ruling out some things, he referred me to a heamotoligist at the hospital. I was told I was triple negative for the usual gene tests, including jak 2. I was advised to take aspirin and do so. I am 53 years old. My last platelet level was 591 in April. I rang for latest results yesterday and was told they were now 470, which is still high, but a big drop. The only thing I have been doing is taking 400 mg of magnesium each day, as I read it was a great help for fatigue and aching muscles. I don't really want a BMB, but if it gives me an answer, I will agree to one. I just want to know for sure, what I have! I was told a while ago that inflammatory and infection reasons have been ruled out.

[Wyebird in reply to Sarahjane100]

Hi Sarah Jane, I noticed you said aching muscles. I too have that symptom but when I queried it with the nurse she said no. It’s as if I’ve done a workout. Do you suffer the same?

[Sarahjane100 in reply to Wyebird]

Hello. Thank you for responding. I was really suffering withave aching muscles and fatigue. I read about magnesium supplements for help with this. I started to take magnesium citrate, 400 mg per day. I noticed a huge difference. I felt so energised and much calmer. The main reason I wanted to take them was because they helped with insomnia. Now I sleep so deeply and wake refreshed. The ones I take are Solearning magnesium citrate 400 mg per day from Holland and Barret. They really help!

[Wyebird in reply to Sarahjane100]

Thank you for replying. I too have started taking magnesium but not dilegently. Maybe that's why the haven't had such an impact on my as they have on others.

[Boss1]

Hi Sarah Jane,

When my platelet levels drop by themselves, I'm over the moon! I have PV/ET (says haemo) and Jak2 positive. Only on baby Aspirin and occasional venesection. Mine do fluctuate and certainly go down by themselves. I was diagnosed in 2013 and had few symptoms except for the terrible itchiness with change of temperature or bathing at certain times. I have a very healthy diet and take Curcumin (a gram a day) as lots of interesting research on this. I am certain this has an effect and now my haem does, although she thought I was bonkers at first!

[Meatloaf9]

I am ET Jak2+ and my platelets thus far have bounced around between 450 and 550. Go back to heme next week for my 3 mo blood tests will see what they are then. I am 68 and only on aspirin currently.